Vanity attachment for bathtubs



wlrwess Aug, 1, 1939. G. B. BENTZ 2,167,795

VANITY ATTACHMENT FOR BATHTUBS Filed July 28, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug}. 1, 1939. e. B. BENTZ 2,167,795

VANITY ATTACHMENT FOR BATHTUBS Filed July 28, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wnwess I Patented Aug. 1, 1939 UNITE STATEE FFHQE;

14 Claims.

Like my pending U. S. application Serial No. 203,956, filed April 23, 1938, the present invention aims to provide a novel and advantageous bathtub attachment permitting a person to manicure finger or toe nails, apply cosmetics, dress the hair, or perform other beautifying operations while sitting in the tub.

The invention further aims to provide a novel attachment which may be positioned not only over an intermediate portion of a tub rim, but over the foot portion with the usual rounded corners, or over the head portion of the customary curved form.

A still further object is to provide a novel form of foot rest and a unique connection between same and the tub-spanning portion of the attachment.

With the foregoing and minor objects in View, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing one form of construction.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the tub-spanning portion of the attachment and its supporting means, with the tray and mirror removed.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the foot-rest.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a different form of construction.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view showing the manner in which the device of Fig. 4 may be supported upon either end of the tub rim, one position being shown in full lines and the other in dotted lines.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view showing a rubher-cushioned swiveled head which may be used on the adjustable screws of the foot-rest.

Fig. '7 is a detail sectional View on line 'l'! of Fig. 6.

Preferred details of construction have been illustrated and will be rather specifically described, with the understanding, however, that within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

In the form of construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the attachment includes an elongated frame II) to span a bathtub transversely, said frame having spaced parallel side bars ll provided with downturned ends l2, said ends having to bearings l3 which are alined in directions exand is suitably secured thereto. The bars It are provided with angular fingers it which project upwardly therefrom to abut the ends of a tray T which rests upon the U-shaped bars M and 55, between the side bars l l. The bar i5 is provided with a rigidly attached underlying finger H which extends longitudinally of the tub, being instrumental in connecting a foot-rest l8 with the frame H3. One of the bars I l is equipped with an upwardly projecting post HQ with which a yoke 20 carrying a mirror 2i may be connected in any suitable way.

Two rock shafts 22 are rotatably mounted in the bearings 13 at the opposite ends of the frame l0, one end 23 of each rock shaft being preferably bent laterally outward and provided with one horizontal arm 2Q to overlie the tub rim and with one downwardly projecting arm 25 to engage the inner side of the tube. The opposite end of each shaft 22 is provided with a horizontal arm 26 similar to the arm 2 5, all of the arms 24, 25 and 25 being preferably provided with rubber protectors or the like 2'5 to prevent injuring the finish of the bathtub.

The foot-rest i8 is preferably of triangular form with an inverted V-shaped frame 28, the apex 29 of which is engageable with the finger ll, permitting forward or rearward sliding of said foot-rest into desired spaced relation with the bathtub seat (not shown) and also permitting vertical swinging of said foot-rest to desired elevation. The lower corners of the foot-rest are provided with extensible and retractable screws 38 having elongated heads 3!. at their outer ends to abut the inner sides of the tub side walls, said heads being rubber covered if desired to prevent injuring the tub finish and to prevent slipping. Due to the customary downward convergence of the tub walls, the heads 3| will cause wedging of the footrest between said walls and by extending or retracting the screws 33, it will be seen that the foot-rest may be supported at any desired elevation.

When the device is placed upon a tub as seen in Fig. l, the arms 26 and 26 rest upon the tub rim and the entire frame Ill moves downwardly slightly until the arms 25 swing out and abut the inner sides of the tub walls, whereupon the attachment will remain in place. The foot-rest l8 may be quickly and easily engaged with finger H and adjusted as required, and the entire device is then in readiness for use. Obviously, the tray T may hold any desired articles or equipment and should it be desired, this tray may be inverted and used as a seat. Moreover, with the foot-rest l8 detached, the remainder of the device may be used across the arms as a lounge chair or even in bed. When used upon a tub, the attachment may be moved into the curved tub end until one pair of the bearings l3 strikes the tub. Furthermore, with the attachment turned around, it may be moved into the other end of the tub until these same bearings strike. The attachment need not, therefore, occupy a position in which it materially obstructs the user when entering and leaving the tub.

In Figs. 4 and 5, the frame it) is very similar to the frame I but is provided with rigid arms 24', 25 and 26 corresponding to the arms 24, 25 and 26 above described. The downturned ends I2 of the frame side bars ll may be connected by end bars 22 if desired, and I preferably form the arms 26' from the end portions of a rod 32 underlying one of the side bars II, this bar being welded or otherwise secured to the U-shaped bars l4 and 15' which support the tray T. The bar [5 is provided with a finger ll engageable with the foot-rest |8- which is a duplicate of the foot rest I8.

The device of Figs. 4 and 5 may be moved to the maximum upon the tub and may rest upon either end of the rim thereof, that is, the usual rounded end or the end with rounded corners, without interference from the arms 25. These arms are preferably provided with set screws 33 adjustable according to the width of the tub to hold the entire device against endwise shift- If desired, the screws 30 may be provided with rubber-cushioned swiveled heads as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In these views, a metal channel 3t! is swiveled at 3l'l to the screw 30 and carries a rubber cushion 30 to abut the tub wall, providing an effective swiveled rubber-cushioned head for the screw which will be self-adjusting to the tub wall. The channel it!) preferably has a rectangular hole and the end of the screw has its opposite sides cut away to form curved or angular shoulders that bear on the outer faces of the channel. The reduced end of the screw within the channel is formed with two kerfs to provide tongues that are bent in opposite di-. rections to form a head that loosely retains the channel on the screw.

From the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for carrying out the objects of the invention, and while preferred details have been disclosed, attention is again invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A vanity attachment for a bathtub, comprising an elongated member to extend transversely of the tub, horizontally projecting means at each end of said member to rest upon the tub rim and support said member between the tub ends, or at the foot-end of the tub having the usual curved corners, or at the head-end having the usual curved wall, said member having one edge to be always disposed toward the center of the tub when said member is supported at either end of the latter, and downwardly projecting tub-abutting means on said member to abut the inner side of the tub to hold said member against sliding transversely of the tub, said downwardly projecting tub-abutting means being located only toward said one edge of said member, whereby said downwardly projecting tub-abutting means cannot interfere with movement of said member well onto either end of the tub rim.

2. A vanity attachment comprising an elongated member to extend transversely of a bathtub, two spaced horizontally projecting supporting arms on each end of said member to rest upon the tub rim between the tub ends, or at the foot end of the tub having the usual curved corners, or at the head end having the usual curved wall, said member having one edge to always be disposed toward the center of the tub when said member is supported at either end of the latter, two of said horizontally projecting supporting arms being disposed toward said one edge of said member, and two downwardly projecting arms to abut the inner sides of the tub wall, said downwardly projecting arms being carried only by said two of said horizontally projecting arms, whereby said downwardly projecting arms cannot interfere with sliding of the attachment well onto either end of the tub rim.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1; together with a foot rest connected with and projecting downwardly from said member for disposition in the tub in a plane extending transversely thereof.

4. A structure as specified in claim 2; together with a foot rest connected with and projecting downwardly from said member for disposition in the tub in a plane extending transversely thereof.

5. A vanity attachment for a bathtub comprising a frame having parallel side bars to extend transversely of a tub, U-shaped bars extending between and secured to said side bars, means for supporting said frame, and a tray resting upon said U-shaped bars between said side bars.

6. A vanity attachment for a bathtub comprising a frame having parallel side bars to extend transversely of a tub, U-shaped bars extending between and secured to said side bars, angular, upwardly projecting stop fingers near the ends of the frame and secured to said U-shaped bars, a tray resting on said U-shaped bars between said side bars and abutting said fingers, and] means for supporting said frame.

ing a frame having parallel side bars to extend transversely of a tub, U-shaped bars extending between and secured to said side bars near the ends thereof, an additional U-shaped bar extending between and secured to the central portions of said side bars, a finger longitudinally underlying said additional U-shaped bar and secured thereto, a tray resting on said U-shaped bars, a foot-rest having its upper end engaged with said finger, and means for supporting said frame.

8. A vanity attachment comprising a tub-spanning portion to extend transversely of a tub, said tub-spanning portion having an underlying finger to extend longitudinally of the tub, and a foot-rest having its upper end engaged with said finger.

9. A vanity attachment comprising a tub-spanning portion to extend transversely of a tub, a foot-rest for disposition within the tub, said footrest having an inverted V-shaped frame, and means on said tub-spanning portion engaged by the apex of said inverted V-shaped frame to connect the foot-rest with the tub-spanning portion.

10. A vanity attachment comprising a tubspanning portion to extend transversely of a tub, a foot-rest for disposition within the tub, and means slidably connecting said foot-rest with said tub-spanning portion and permitting slid-,

, 7. A vanity attachment for a bathtub comprising of said foot-rest longitudinally of the tub to different positions.

11. A vanity attachment comprising a tubspanning portion to extend transversely of a tub, a foot-rest for disposition Within the tub, and means detachably connecting the upper end of said foot-rest with said frame-spanning portion.

12. A vanity attachment comprising a tubspanning portion to extend transversely of a tub, a foot-rest for disposition within the tub, means pivotally connecting the upper end of said footrest with said tub-spanning portion, and adjustable means on the lower portion of said footrest for supporting the same when said foot-rest is swung to different positions.

13. A vanity attachment comprising a tubspanning portion having bearings at its ends alined in directions extending longitudinally of the tub, rock shafts mounted in said bearings, arms carried by said rock shafts to lie upon the tub rim, and other arms carried by said rock shafts to abut the inner sides of the tub side walls.

14. In a bathtub accessory, a frame for disposition in an inclined plane extending transversely of a bathtub, said frame having a horizontal base bar and two side bars which converge up- Wardly from the ends of said base bar, means for holding said frame in said inclined position, including tub-engaging means connected with the upper end of said frame and relatively adjustable tub-engaging members connected With the lower corners of said frame, and supporting means; for the users feet extending between and secured to said side bars.

GEORGE B. BENTZ. 

